HERE'S ALL THE INFO YOU NEED TO NAVIGATE THIS NEW ROAD
Phase Two of North Carolina’s first toll road – the Triangle
Expressway -- will be opening next Wednesday, August 1st and tolling
will begin the following day, August 2nd.
This addition will be a six-lane, 6.6-mile extension of the 540 Outer Loop
south from NC 55 to RTP to US 64 in Apex.
The third leg of the Triangle Expressway (or TriEx as some are calling
it) opens in December of this year and will extend the road another 6 miles
south to Holly Springs.
Many folks will rejoice that they now have another option to
crowded, traffic-light-filled 55 as they travel to RTP and other places in that
popular area. According to figures from
the NCDOT, Route 55 groans under the load of 30,000 cars and trucks each
day. Speed limits are inconsistent &
there are traffic signals every half-mile, bringing the rush-hour pace to a
crawl. A solution is very much needed.
A brief history of the TriEx – in 2007, state & federal
agencies agreed to convert the existing part of 540 into toll-road that will
eventually circumnavigate the entire Triangle area with Raleigh in the center
and connect Durham, Cary, Apex, Morrisville, Holly Springs, Fuquay-Varina,
Garner & Knightdale.
There will be two ways to pay the tolls on this road. What?
Did you think all this improvement would come with no cost? Silly driver!
Method one is a pre-paid account; method 2 is a pay as you go. Here’s the scoop:
Method One will require you to use the NC Quick Pass. You can obtain this pass in one of two ways:
- 1. Sign up online at http://www.ncquickpass.com and your transponder will be mailed to you in 5-7 business days.
- 2. Or -- Go to their customer service center at 200 Sorrell Grove Church Road in Morrisville (1-877-469-7277) and you can set up your account and receive your transponder there immediately.
- 3. Place the QuickPass transponder on the front windshield of your car and payments are deducted from your pre-paid account as you pass through the toll zones
NOTE 1: There is a charge for the transponder –
Sticker Transponder: $5
Hardcase Transponder: $20
Exterior Transponder: $25
NOTE 2: None of these transponders will work with
other states’ toll roads yet, nor will their transponders work in NC at this
time. Why? Only heaven knows!!
NOTE 3: Some makes & models of cars require an
exterior transponder and those are listed on their website.
MY NOTE:
Am I the only one who is perplexed as to why I have to pay this agency separately
for a transponder which will enable me to pay them again? But, I digress…
Method Two
operates with a camera taking a picture of your license plate as you pass
through the toll zone & a bill is mailed to you. This method will cost you 35% more, and it
probably better suited to folks who do not plan to use this road much.
Here a link to find out more on where the tolls are located
and what the cost will be:
To the best of my knowledge, they are still haggling over
exactly where the proposed Southeast Extension (connecting Holly Springs,
Garner & Knightdale) will end up, so that will have to be a topic for a
future conversation.
What do you think about the addition of toll roads to our
area here in North Carolina?
Well hello there! It was so nice to visit this personal blog and in particularly to read this blog post. And there is one thing which I wanted to ask you. Did you have any experience with guest blogging?
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